Containerized portable flying disc target

ABSTRACT

An improved target for flying disc games, such as disc golf, where the target consists of a pole mounted weight holder, basket, and base where the weight holder, basket, and base components, after disassembly, are reconfigured in such a manner to create a handled container holding the principal target components. The resulting portability facilitates ancillary requirements beyond the principle target function, such as shipping, transporting, storing and stacking, making the device more useful to manufacturer and operator.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

An improved target for flying disc games, such as disc golf, where thetarget consists of a pole mounted weight holder, basket, and base wherethe weight holder, basket, and base components, after disassembly, arereconfigured in such a manner to create a handled container holding theprincipal target components. The resulting portability facilitatesancillary requirements beyond the principle target function, such asshipping, transporting, storing and stacking, making the device moreuseful to manufacturer and operator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Flying disc games have steadily grown in popularity since the enormouscommercial success of the Wham-O Frisbee beginning in 1964.Subsequently, numerous flying disc games developed around the Frisbee.One of these games, disc golf, was imagined by numerous independentinnovators at the time. The unique challenges associated with accuratelythrowing a flying disc at an object, in many minds, connected withsimilar challenges shared with the players of ball and club golf.

Presently, the sport is played by people of all ages, is adaptable tomultiple fitness levels, provides a great workout to participants, isinexpensive or free to play, and, usually takes place in a beautifulenvironmental setting. These natural attributes of disc golf havepropelled the sport to a level of involvement where thousands of courseshave been built around the world and individuals are playing the sportprofessionally.

In the early days, virtually any object served as the objective for discgolf. Striking trees, fence posts, light poles, or street signs, in somecases, served as finishing the hole; whereas in other cases, landing thedisk in a 55-gallon drum or in a hula-hoop lying on the ground served asthe point where participants calculated their score.

In 1977, Ed Headrick of Watsonville, Calif., began marketing a devicethat had a series of hanging weights, specifically chains, mounted on astructure attached to a pole to arrest the velocity of flying discs.Under the chains was a wire basket designed to contain the discs whenthey were stopped and fell from the chains. This device set the standardfor disc golf targets for the future.

Because chains are heavy and supporting heavy chains requires asubstantial framework of metal, Headrick's device produced a disc golftarget that does not easily lend itself to portability. Because of this,devices attempting to make disc golf target more portable went in threebasic directions.

The first direction was to utilize an entrapment media that differs fromchains, such as net or cloth. Devices constructed on this concept havethe benefit of being lighter than the original Headrick concept but alsohad the disadvantage of not being as effective in catching discs. Usingweights as the entrapment media is necessary to effectively arrest thevelocity of a flying disc.

The second direction was a variation of the Headrick device, utilizingweights as the entrapment media, but having a basket made up of fabricthat allowed the device to fold up like an umbrella. Even though suchdevices presently enjoy some commercial success, they have thedisadvantage of being light, and because of this they are unstable,making them less than ideal. Additionally, because they are not assubstantial, they play differently than “real” disc golf basketsencountered in play on established courses.

The third direction was to simply add wheels to the base of afully-assembled and upright Headrick device and call this portable. Suchdevices also enjoy a measure of commercial success but are not reallyvery portable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention improves on the pole-mounted, weight rack and basket discgolf target concept by providing an adaptation by which the device canbe easily handled when not in use. The improved handling characteristicsmake this flying disc golf target practical for settings where apermanent practice facility or a permanent course is not practical.

Universities and schools, for example, require a transportable productin order to utilize limited land resources for a variety of purposes.This device facilitates easily setting up practice facilities orfull-sized courses for instruction related to introducing the sport,holding practice sessions or hosting special events.

Further application of this invention include businesses that rent theproduct as a diversion for outings. Additional uses include products forindividuals or groups who desire their own disc golf practice device ordesire to build an entire disc golf course that is only usedperiodically.

The features of this invention allow the device to be easily transportedand stored with all the components together and available for futureuse. In addition, the design allows manufacturers to ship the productwithout additional packaging, resulting in considerable labor andpackaging cost savings.

These are important and valuable features that facilitate these uses andother applications not contemplated at this time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an oblique view of the flying disc target in both set up andcontainerized modes.

FIG. 2 is an expanded view of the flying disc target showing theprinciple components.

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation demonstrating the procedure forfitting the principle components into the container.

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation demonstrating the latter stages ofthe procedure for fitting the components into the container.

FIG. 5 is a representation of the flying disc target in containerizedmode.

FIG. 6 is a representation of multiple flying disc target containersstacked for storage or in transport while in containerized mode.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT AND SPECIFICATIONS

Referring again to the drawings, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, aweight assembly, comprised of a lower ring (7) and a plurality of chains(5), is attached with a plurality of loop fasteners (6) to a supportingstructure (1). This supporting structure (1) is mounted to the top of apole (4). In this embodiment, the supporting structure (1) isconstructed of three-quarter inch plywood and a bracket similar to (10)is inverted and used to attach the supporting structure to the top ofthe pole. This invention, however, is not limited to such.

In the general center of the pole (4) is a basket (2), said basket (2)having previously been slid down the pole (4), by the pole (4) beinginserted through a hole in the bottom of the basket (2). The basket (2)is held by a stop (11) which supports the basket (2) vertically. Handles(8) are made part of the basket (2) to facilitate ease in handling thebasket (2) where the basket (2) serves as the container for the targetcomponents in later illustrations.

In this embodiment, the basket (2) is constructed from a 15-gallongalvanized metal tub, however, the invention is not limited to such.

Referring again to FIG. 1, a base (3) is employed to hold the flyingdisc target in an upright position. This base (3) is mounted to thebottom of the pole (4) with a bracket (10). Openings (9) are cut intothe base to facilitate convenient removal of the base from the basket(2) where the basket (2) serves as the container for the flying disctarget components in later illustrations.

In this embodiment, the base (3) is constructed of three-quarter inchplywood, the invention, however, is not limited to such. In otherembodiments, the pole (4) may be permanently affixed to the ground,alleviating the necessity of a separate base component.

In FIG. 2 the components of the flying disc target are shown in anexpanded view. This represents how the target components aredisassembled for storage.

The components are top assembly (12), basket assembly (13), poleassembly (4 & 11) and base assembly (14).

The top assembly (12) is comprised of a lower ring (7) and a pluralityof weights (5), in this case, chains, attached with a plurality of loopfasteners (6) to the supporting structure (1). The top assembly (12)includes a bracket (10) attached underneath the supporting structure (1)for fitting to the pole (4).

The basket assembly (13) is comprised of the basket (2), with handles(8) attached to the side of the basket, and a bracket attached to basketinterior.

The pole assembly is comprised of a pole (4) and the stop (11).

The base assembly (14) is comprised of the base (3) and bracket (10).

The components of the flying disc target are disassembled by lifting thetop (12) from the top of pole (4). The basket (13) is then removed bylifting the basket (13) over the top of the pole (4). The pole (4) isthen removed from the base (14).

The components are temporarily set aside by laying them on the ground orother stable surface as the situation may require. The pole assembly (4)is not containerized.

In FIG. 3, the components are reassembled for storage or transporting byfirst positioning the basket assembly (13) on the ground or other stablesurface (15). The base assembly (14) is inverted (16) and placed (17) inthe basket assembly (13). In FIG. 4, The top (12) is placed over thebase (14), now inverted, and located within the basket assembly (13).

In this embodiment, the plywood forming the supporting structure (1) isnotched to form a channel (18) by which the top (12) is stabilized onthe basket assembly (13). With the top (12) placed on the basket (13) acontainer is formed.

FIG. 5 represents the containerized components where as the basket (13)becomes a container and the top (12) becomes the lid. The lid (12) canbe further stabilized by tying the lid (12) to the basket (13) with wireor plastic ties (19).

FIG. 6 demonstrates how the device can be stacked for shipping orstorage.

It should be apparent to those skilled in the field that within thegeneral description given, a wide range of embodiments is possible whilestill encompassing the basic features and improvements of the currentinvention and thus the invention is not restricted to those specificembodiments described but rather the wider range of equivalentsencompassed by the claims below:

1. A disc-catching device having a pole, an upward facing containerfixed to the pole, a weight holder and weights fixed to the top of thepole above the container, and a supporting base fixed to the bottom ofthe pole, the improvements comprising: a device disassembled into pole,upward facing container, weight holder, and base components; where thecontainer has a handles or handles on the exterior sides forming handholds; where the base is inserted into the container; and, where theweight holder is fixed to the top of the container forming an enclosedunit.
 2. A disc-catching device having a permanently-mounted pole, anupward facing container fixed to the pole, and a weight holder andweights fixed to the top of the pole above the container, theimprovements comprising: a device disassembled into pole, upward facingcontainer, and weight holder components; where the container has ahandle or handles on the exterior sides forming hand holds; where theweight holder is fixed to the top of the container forming an enclosedunit.